Add 10 sessions of Jewish wisdom delivered by an Olami staff member and a unique structure or format.

Top ideas will be invited to pitch to their peers, live at the Summit.

Become one of the winning teams and win $10,000 to roll out a pilot program of your concept in an Olami location Jan-June 2018.

Receive high level local leadership training.

If your pilot program achieves its stated goals then you will win a further $25,000 for the organization to implement your idea at full force. Plus, every member of the team will be flown to Israel to receive the Olami Award. You will each win one free trip to spend a Shabbat weekend anywhere in the world where there is an Olami center.

Final applications extended to Dec 15th, 2017.

Projects from 2016

Each team was invited to present new initiatives that can significantly increase the impact of their local organizations and create positive change in their local Jewish communities. Get some inspiration from these amazing ideas.

Jóvenes Judíos sin Fronteras – Sucath David

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Jóvenes Judíos sin Fronteras connects Jewish students to their Jewish roots by means of commitment to social well-being and social responsibility. Participants go on social-cause trips engaging them in self-sustaining projects such as gardens, recycling programs and a variety of educational courses. Trips are accompanied and coached by spiritual leaders (Rabanim, Morim) who will teach them and travel with them.

They held their first shabatton this past weekend, 40 delegates from neighboring cities attended. All left the shabatton with projects for their own communities.

MitzvahSource – JLE

UK

MitzvahSource.com is a website that facilitates mitzvot! Entirely student run, it gives away religious items at a subsidized price or for free. The website also offers options for instalment as well as online and on-sight lessons about the mitzvah the user requested.

Jewish Experience Center – Nefesh Yehudi

Israel

The Jewish Experience Center “ Hachava shel Adam” recreates the one-week retreat that these young professionals put together in India, now in Israel. The center is a place where Jews come together to explore spirituality and mindfulness through Judaism while bridging the gap between observant and non-observant Jews.

This was the winning project

Hashomer Hachadash – Nefesh Yehudi

Israel

HaShomer HaChadash aims to continue the historic path of the Zionist movement. What began as a cry for help from people working the land has now become a driving force in reviving the Zionist spirit among the next generation. Their vision is to create a Zionist movement that connects the Nation, the Land and the People of Israel, as well as to strengthen mutual responsibility, civic action and love of the land. HaShomer HaChadash aims to provide hands-on help to those embattled farmers and ranchers who are on the verge of despair and seriously considering abandoning their farmland. Abandoning this land would be an historical loss to the Jewish Nation. In order to accomplish their mission, they have joined arms with Nefesh Yehudi in Israel so that their endeavors are not solely practical but also filled with Jewish content. Strong Jewish values being at the core of this emerging Zionist youth movement.

Committed to Israel’s People. Its story. Its Land.

Jewish Cinema Fest – Tikva Odessa

Odessa, Ukraine

Jewish Cinema Fest is a 4-part event in which local students and young professionals compete for “Best Film”. Participants are in charge of writing, directing and producing a short film that revolves around Jewish content.

People from the community then gather for a high energy, upbeat, film festival in which the films are judged and the winners announced.

Manos a la obra “Hands to matter” – Menora

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Is a community of volunteers dedicated to improving the living conditions of families in need. Volunteers meet during the week to plan their Sunday trips in which they usually remodel homes among other productive acts of kindness.

As a compliment, educational seminars and classes are given to the volunteers on the art of giving and chessed as a Jewish value.